Session 1: Zombies Attack! - DM Running Outline

Important: This session starts with character finalization/creation since players now have the full Nocturnus setting context. Some may want to completely remake their characters. Budget 30 minutes for this before starting the adventure proper.

Pre-Session Setup (45 min)

Character Creation/Refinement (30 min)

Technical Setup (10 min)

Load Foundry VTT with Zombies Attack module
Test city street map (Scene 1)
Test sewer map (Scene 3a)
Test rooftop tokens (Scene 3b)
Prepare apparatus token/image
Queue ambient sounds (market, screams, combat)

Materials Ready (5 min)

Bite tracking sheet for each player (3 circles)
NPC survivor roster (2d4+4 total, track deaths)
Lever effects reference card
Initiative tracker
Story Events tables (if using pre-gens)

Review Key Rules

Bite System: Hit = 1 bite, 3 bites = zombified at session end
Level 1 Characters: Using newly awakened powers
Escape Focus: This is survival horror, not combat
NPCs as Shields: Can take bites instead of PCs

Session Start: Character Finalization (30 min)

Group Character Review

Character Completion Checklist

For each player verify:

Background chosen from 2024 options
Origin feat recorded
Ability scores include background increases
Starting equipment from BOTH class and background
AC, HP, and saves calculated
At least one connection to Harcourt

Establish Party Dynamic

"You may not know each other well yet, but you've seen each other around"
Have each player name one thing they'd know about another PC
Establish where they've crossed paths before

Opening: Normal Day in Harcourt (20 min)

Set the Scene

Date: Thornday, 15th of Snowmelt (winter day)
Location: Market Square
Population: ~3,000 people
Atmosphere: Light snow, warm despite cold, market day

Player Introductions

Ask each player:

"Who are you in this city?"

Character Completion Checklist

For each player verify:

Background chosen from 2024 options
Origin feat recorded
Ability scores include background increases
Starting equipment from BOTH class and background
AC, HP, and saves calculated
At least one connection to Harcourt

Establish Party Dynamic

"You may not know each other well yet, but you've seen each other around"
Have each player name one thing they'd know about another PC
Establish where they've crossed paths before

Opening: Normal Day in Harcourt (20 min)

Set the Scene

Date: Thornday, 15th of Snowmelt (winter day)
Location: Market Square
Population: ~3,000 people
Atmosphere: Light snow, warm despite cold, market day

Player Introductions

Ask each player:

"Who are you in this city?"
"What's your daily routine?"
"What brings you to Market Square today?"
"Who do you know here?" (establish 1 NPC connection each)

Pre-Chaos Market Activities (10 min)

Run 2-3 of these mini-encounters:

Greta's hot cider stand (elderly woman, bad back)
Twin Jesters juggling snowballs
Old Henrik selling "magical" trinkets
Children's snowman contest argument
Ball rolls to player's feet
Someone bumps into them

highligh cronological notes of what happened

leeanya went and pull caelum from his scribe work to go to the market square
varelle was operating a trinket stand, her normal fortune telling scam blessings
borin was caught with sticky fingers stealing a useless trinket and was boasting of taking "fees" from everyone in the market. but from what the party could tell he was not successful due to his drunkeness.
they listen to lo the lost one play music by the frozen fountain
caelum and leeanya get cider, bring some to the musician
the muscisian string snaps, the group now all together helps the weirdly sleepy bard after he stopped playing music, saying he needed to get a new string quick
a local music vendor calls out and offers a string to help
at this moment of re-stringing, with bad omens being discussed on this nice peaceful day, the players are interrupted with the lich and heros battle in the sky that comes too close for comfort in the market square
the other vendors, their friends and family fall before a terrible green lightning and then rise again to attack them!

Transition Signal

When ready to begin chaos:

Players are all in Market Square
Establish it's mid-afternoon
Note the peaceful moment before...

Chapter I: The Outbreak (15 min)

The Lich Arrives

Green lightning crack - skeletal figure appears above
Describe Ythrail - parchment skin, green orb
Paladin on griffon tackles him down
Green lightning shoots down street

The Save

Winged warrior lands, protects PCs specifically
Lightning kills civilians around them
Adventurers chase Ythrail into sky
Bodies start moving... as zombies!

Immediate Chaos

Roll Initiative (lasts until safe house found)
Zombies shamble toward party
Screams everywhere
Make it clear: RUN, don't fight

Chapter II: Survival Scenes (2-3 hours)

this is where we will pick up in the next session.
the party has killed a few zombies who ambushed them after they failed to sneak in the shadows.
they have all successfully re-hid after the last round of fighting.'
now they will be coming to the safe house, they will need to spot it, roll initiative, and push through the zombies instead of trying to fight them this time
there were some close calls, but no bites have marked out party yet

Scene 1: To Safety (30 min)

Challenge: Safe House

One PC makes DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
Every 2 points over 15 = +1 success needed for break-in later
- the whole party failed over and over to get this check and only succeeded on a 16
On success: Spot bakery/shop with heavy door

Challenge: Pushing Through

EACH PC makes DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
Failures = targeted by zombie attacks
Success = reach the safe location
kinda skipped the above points and just made them push through a group of zombies
lo the lost one took a bite here, the only one failing to push through the crush
part decided to leave arl and 11 civilians to save their own necks and run down into the sewer without saying anything

Challenge: Let Us In!

Building is occupied (terrified civilians)
DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion/Intimidation) to enter peacefully
OR DC 15 Strength to force (-1 to break-in defense)
- Borin failed this
Must get inside before zombies converge

Scene 2: Time to Breathe (20 min)

Setup

Inside: 2d4+4 survivors (roll now: 11 survivors)
Introduce Zimbra (gnome, knows about apparatus)
Let players catch breath, plan
Zimbra mentions Dimspark's workshop escape route

Challenge: Making Friends

Survivors are panicked/hostile
DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) to calm them
- Borin crit failed an intimidation check, part member helped smooth it over that the failed intimidation actully helped
Success: 1d4+2 follow party (roll: ___ followers)
- I didn't explore this mechanic well
These NPCs can take bites for PCs
- This wasn't really needed because they group just left everyone lol

Challenge: Zombie Break-In

Roll initiative
Every round (Initiative 20): Group DC 17 Strength check
Track successes: [][][_] (need 3+ from Scene 1)
Smart solutions can negate one failure
When zombies break in, must escape
This played out differently, basically they were able to barricade the door as the zombie break in started.
From there as soon as the break in started the party decided an order to head into the sewers with, not considering any NPCs

Challenge: Escape Route

Two options: Sewers (down) OR Rooftops (up)
One person per round through hatch
Players choose escape order
Last PC out = remaining NPCs die
- I moved Arl, Zimbra the gome, and 2 others into the sewers. Arl figured out a way past Borins barricade, and blocked the entrance

Scene 3a: Sewers (IF CHOSEN) (45 min)

Environment

Pitch black (no darkvision = blinded)
Use sewer map or theater of mind
Echoing sounds, dripping water

Challenge: Where Are We?

Need 3 successful DC 13 Survival checks
- Passed: 3
Lead explorer makes checks
Disadvantage if can't see
Failed check = Roll on Tunnel Encounters:
1. 1d4 zombies shamble from side tunnel
2. Toxic gas (DC 12 CON or poisoned 10 min)
3. Collapsed tunnel (find alternate route)
4. Flooded section (swim or find another way)
5. Rat swarm (just creepy, not dangerous)
6. Dead end (backtrack, lose time)
The party is here after the latest session, 2 successes
They have been ambushed by 3 zombies, 1 rat swarm, and then again by 2 rats swarms
They found ladders into 3 rooms
- A room with a single chest containing 100gp
- A room with shelves of nasty old food
- A room with shelves of baby oil
They just finished the last encounter with the 2 rat swarms and did a short rest to resume next session

Challenge: Sealed Door

Door to workshop has Glyph of Warding
DC 15 Arcana or DC 20 Thieves' Tools to disarm
Failure = Confusion spell (DC 17 WIS)
Confusion attracts 1d4-1 zombies (min 1)
Door opens after trap triggered/disarmed

Scene 3b: Rooftops (IF CHOSEN) (45 min)

Environment

Can see whole city overrun
Workshop visible 6 rooftops away
Streets = death (solid zombies)

Challenge: Quiet, Now

Group DC 15 Stealth check on reaching roof
Repeat when making noise/discussing
Failure = zombies start climbing up

Challenge: Flighty Birds

Pigeon roost on one roof
DC 13 Animal Handling to calm
Failure = birds alert zombies below

Challenge: Jump!

DC 13 Athletics/Acrobatics per roof gap
Failure = hang above zombies (1 attack)
Fail by 5+ = fall into horde (3 attacks/round)
DC 13 Athletics to climb back up
Can lose zombies after 2 successful jumps

Scene 4: The Workshop (30 min)

The Apparatus Description

Challenge: Apparatus, Activate!

DC 19 Arcana or Sleight of Hand
Advantage if Zimbra still alive
Can retry, but 2nd failure = zombie horde arrives

Challenge: Hold the Line

Apparatus takes 3 rounds to activate
Zombies burst through windows/doors
Only 3 zombies can attack through hatch at once
Must survive until fully activated

Chapter III: Escape (IF TIME ALLOWS) (45 min)

The Race Setup

6 rounds before fuel runs out (track openly)
Need 3 forward movements to reach gates
Roll for complications each round
Players operate levers simultaneously

Running the Apparatus

Each round: | 8 | Open rear hatch (1d4 zombies/round) | Close rear hatch |

Players use lever 8 and close the hatch
4 up, 5 up, 7 up -
window shutters shutters close, throws groups of comobies with the claws, turns 90 degrees right
legs are already extended, window shutters open, turn left 90 degrees, claws flail about in front
4 zombie attacks through the windows
- close window shutters on the zomnbie hands and faces reaching in
- move forward, flail claws about, appartus is still inthe up position
everyone pased dc 15 to not be spooked by zombie head
- cuncussive blast is activated
- flailing claws send zombies flying
windows are closed zombies couldn't make it inside to attack
- moved forward bursting throught he gates

Emergency Contingencies

If TPK Seems Imminent

Zimbra knows a secret passage
Another group of survivors causes distraction
Apparatus has emergency activation

If Moving Too Fast

Add tunnel complications
Apparatus needs repairs first
Additional zombie waves

If Players Murder-Hobo

Infinite zombies spawn
Noise attracts more
Remind them: ESCAPE is the goal

If Someone is Zombified Early

They have until session end
Can still act normally
Dramatic final scene potential

Session End Options

Success Ending (Escaped)

Apparatus dies 2-3 miles outside city
Harcourt burns behind them
Anyone with 3 bites turns
Level up doens't happen because they are already level 1

Failure Ending (Trapped)

Apparatus explodes, opens path for others
Heroic sacrifice narrative
Roll new characters for next session

Cliffhanger Ending (Mid-Escape)

Stop with apparatus at gates
"Next time: Will you survive?"
Build tension for Session 2

Time Management Guide

Pre-Session Character Setup: 30 min
Opening/Intro: 20 min
Chapter I: 15 min
Scene 1: 30 min
Scene 2: 20 min
Scene 3: 45 min
Scene 4: 30 min
(Chapter III: 45 min if time)
Wrap-up: 10 min

Total: 3.5-4.5 hours (including character finalization)